Minister Zemaj essentially contributed to the denouncing and arrest of IKSF worker who was arrested days ago

The signal paper teaches that the person in question is the friend of incumbent Health Minister Armend Zemaj, Betim Selimi, who was employed in the IKSHPK as support personnel in administrative work, contracted as part of the World Bank project without the involvement of the Government of Kosovo.

But, in spite of family connection, the Signal newspaper learns that the Minister of Zemaj not only did not influence “the perception of this scandal in IKSHPK, but encouraged and contributed substantially to Selim's denouncing and arrest.

Q.B. (Named name for proofreading) The person who made media reporting to IKSHPK employees, Betim Selimi, had first contacted Minister Zemaj on the occasion, who, as the Signal newspaper notes, had immediately encouraged him to report the case to the police.

The signal newspaper has managed to secure the conversation of Minister Zemaj with the W.B., who has expressed gratitude and gratitude to the minister for the support he received in this case.

I am so grateful to you. Minister, you're a minister of my soul. I'm sorry I didn't come to the meeting, but I didn't want to stop researching the media and get what that guy deserved to misuse the task and name of the institution. You're a sincere minister for me, and it's really worth being a minister. From now on, I believe in the Ministry of Health and have the hope of living in Kosovo. Thank you for being the minister who protects and fights for the people. Thank you for giving me a confidence and promising that the doctor will no longer be in a health institution. Thank you from the heart and submit to the work that is being done by”, the citizen tells Minister Zemaj in this conversation.

Q.B., in a conversation with the Signal Journal, said he wrote to the Minister of Zemaj on Facebook on this occasion and didn't expect him to get an answer from him, but says he's been surprised for good when Semaj asked him for his number and called him.

The citizen in question says Zemaj has encouraged and supported him to do so immediately in the police.

I'm telling you the truth, I didn't even expect him to answer me. The minister supported me, he arranged an eight o'clock meeting, but I didn't go because I didn't want to hurt media research. The minister called me. He said I was waiting for you at the meeting. He encouraged me to condemn the case to the police and offered me protection. The minister has told me that if this suspicion is true, he will ask for the person's removal within half an hour of work and will support the work of the justice organs, without interference”, he said.

That Betim Selimi is the friend of incumbent Health Minister for the Signal Journal has confirmed Zemaj himself.

Zemaj said he has encouraged the W.B. to present his suspicion of Selimi to the police.

Because the case and the person you're referring to is being treated by justice bodies, I am forced to be very short on my answer, so that there is no negative effect on the ongoing investigation. However, I can confirm that Betim Selimi, is my friend, but despite this, I have just been informed of the suspicion presented, I have taken all necessary actions to encourage denounciator (Q. B.) to present the case immediately to justice bodies, and now this issue is in their hands”, Zemaj said.

The first in Health further said it encourages citizens to denounce any allegations they have against any official who misuses his work, no matter who he may be.

And as always, in this case, I encourage every citizen to report without hesitation any suspicion of abuse of duty, no matter who the subject is, because only in this way do we fulfill our legal and civic obligation, and create a safe environment for living and working. To know everyone, I'm the one who's contributed essentially to the denouncing and arresting the person in question and encouraging the institutions of justice to address this issue fairly and objectively, as before”, Zemaj said.

Meanwhile, Sevdali Feyzullahu, Betim Selimi's lawyer, told the Signal Gazette that his client's case looks more like “instincent of the corruption criminal act”.

But, Selimi's defender says Zemaj does not have “squared in his client's employment and that he himself has been informed that the incumbent Health Minister has encouraged Selimi's denouncing to the police.

Even though we still don't possess all the subject records, what I can say is that the video that's being circulated in the media, is not complete and doesn't contain all the facts of the case. It is sad if someone intends to link this case with Minister Zemaj, because he has, in no way, been involved in his employment and has not been employed in the ministry. From what I learned in the investigator, the case's own denounciator had contributed in advance with Minister Zemaj, and he had encouraged him to report the case to the police as soon as possible. We believe that this case will ultimately result in a decision in favour of my client”, Fyzulah said.

How was he hired? Did the Health Ministry influence this?

The competition for the admission of 357 health workers and technical staff opened on August 17th of the year we just left behind by the Ministry of Health, among the World Bank's World Health Project. The assessment and selection of all applicants was made by the World Bank, without the involvement of the Ministry of Health.

That the incumbent Minister Zemaj may have had influence on the candidate selection.

The first health minister says neither the ministry that leads him nor the one personally as minister in any form has been a participant nor have had any impact on the selection of applicants.

The counter has been open and all procedures have been transparent. Both the Minister of Health and as minister, in any form and in no procedure have we been participants in selecting candidates”, Zemaj told the Signal Gazette.

Zemaj says there is no part of the responsibility for employing his friend.

“The person you refer to is employed through this project as a support technical staff and is engaged in the IKSHPK, has submitted to the same employment rules, as well as 374 other employees and that I have to repeat it, how I have not contributed to his employment, despite being my friend”, he said.

So it points out that anyone who abuses his duty and anyone involved in various circumstances must face law and justice organs.

Before the law we are all equal. I am eternally grateful to health institutions for the work they have done so far, as well as to citizens for the understanding shown in the fight against pandemic. As minister, I guarantee that we will never tolerate negative phenomena and condemn without hesitation any case that overshadows the hard work of health personnel in general and IKSHPK in particular”, Zemaj concluded.

At the end of the day, Zemaj thanked the media, seeking their understanding that he is obliged to refrain from commenting on the case, as he does not want his statements to have any impact on the investigation under way in question.